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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:34 am 
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As all new cars now come with DRL's I've noticed the motorcyclists more as 99% of them seem to drive with no lights on at all during the day. I think some cars have better DRL's than others. My car has them in the headlight so doesn't dazzle too much and looks quite nice. Others, mostly Renaults look rubbish, like a bolt on accessory.

If I were fitting them to a classic car then I'd use the existing sidelights. On My Mazda for example I haven't fitted any but I have swapped the bulbs out for some LED's which are bright and are more noticeable, I simply switch them on and off as required. Alternatively you can buy Halogen headlight units with a pilot light, use this as your DRL, keeps it looking very original and does look neat. I have got this type of unit on the Mazda but the pop up headlights are a real pain and really impede the view so I wouldn't want to use them like that.

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1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:23 pm 
On numerous trips to the North Norfolk coast from Surrey over the last 20 years, I notice that many drivers in Norfolk drive with their headlamps on all the time. Sometimes they will flash you if you do not have your lights on. I have always flashed them back, to say "hi!", as I assumed they were flashing me in a greeting style of "Welcome to Norfolk".

Now I realise they were flashing at me to suggest my lights are not working. So now I flash them back to indicate my lights are working but as it is 14:15 on a clear sunny day I do not need my lights on to see or be seen. They noticed me well enough without my lights on so what was the point in flashing at me?

Apologies for any generalisations that Norfolk readers may not agree with and who do not deliberately drive with there lights on during the day.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:47 pm 
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Apologies for any generalisations that Norfolk readers may not agree with and who do not deliberately drive with there lights on during the day.
I wouldn't worry. My sister in law used to live in Norfolk and when I last visited they did not have a working internet or basic mobile telephone system anywhere so assume that they won't read it or hear about it. Lovely place though, really enjoyed my drive around sans roof for the MX5 rally at Sandringham. There was lots of light flashing on that trip but that was more an MX5 greeting thing, of course being MX5's both lights popped up, none of this winking TR7 rubbish.

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Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:04 pm 
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Location: Over here...can't you see me?
The other issue with DRL on cars is that the twin point sources become the focus; you no longer see the car behind the lights first; this makes judging both distance and speed far more difficult...a single light or close pair on a bike do not create that problem


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:27 pm 
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I think that this thread should remain so as to educate forum readers who have the same perception that Marko has.
So in other words we are wrong?
Every single day i get overtaken in heavy traffic by motorcyclists hell bent on suicide by blasting up the middle of a road at high speed. DRLs or no DRLs someone only has to change lanes and they will be a goner.
Sorry, but in my opinion most Bikers need to change their habits, not the other way around!
Not at all, I just supplied facts, you supplied opinion, well it is the internet after all.

Filtering is completely legal, and indeed is part of the motorcycle test, failure to make good progress is a failure point. Your point about someone changing lanes has been tested as well, http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2006/974.html Davis v Schrogin, in which it was ruled that a motorcycle filtering is not at fault if a car driver fails to check the road is sufficiently clear and collides with a motorcycle.

I'm much more of a car driver than a bike rider, but as I do ride a bike I can clearly see both sides of the argument and speak with some knowledge. For every bad bike rider, and of course they exist, there is an oblivious fool in their steel bubble, heating on, radio on, not indicating, not checking their blind spots with no spatial awareness tailgating the car in front, or bumbling along the highway at a constant 40mph no matter the posted speed limit. Bad car drivers exist, bad motorcycle riders exist, but to tar all drivers or all riders with the same brush is dishonest.

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Current fleet: '75 Sprint, '73 1850, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Honda CG125, Yamaha Fazer 600, Shetland 570 (yes it's a boat!)

Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:41 pm 
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.........or bumbling along the highway at a constant 40mph no matter the posted speed limit.
This irritates me, as a car driver, far more than it ever used to do as a motorcyclist! On a bike, a quick flick of the throttle and these morons are in your rearview mirror, in a car they can hold you up for ages, till in desperation you may take a foolish risk and run head on into a motorcyclist.
I live in a semi rural part of Shropshire where the 60mph single carriageway national speed limit is widespread (and sometimes, illogically applied to roads it's not safe to do a consistent 30 on) but these idiots insist on bumbling along, brain in neutral, well below the limit, a rolling roadblock against anyone trying to "make progress"
My one theory is that most of these are townies, so brainwashed into the idea that they can do no more than 40 (except on rare motorway trips) that they forget there are any higher numbers on the clock (or the statute book)
However, much observation has led me to determine that there are in fact 2 subspecies of this critter. Number 1 observes all lower speed limits scrupulously but tops out at 45mph. this is all well and good and I will never criticize ANYONE for obeying a speed limit, no matter how stupid the limit is, but if they obey all the others, they should obey the 60 too and at least make an effort to get near it! Number 2 is far more dangerous, this is the one who does 40mph EVERYWHERE, regardless of posted speed limits or lack of them. He (or she) is mostly completely oblivious of what is going on in front, behind, or around them and does this speed because that is where they can comfortably nod off and let "George" do the work! A menace to all road users, THESE people are the ones I would like to see banned more than any other!

Sorry, you pushed my buttons mate! Rant over, Steve

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:08 pm 
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.........or bumbling along the highway at a constant 40mph no matter the posted speed limit.
This irritates me, as a car driver, far more than it ever used to do as a motorcyclist! On a bike, a quick flick of the throttle and these morons are in your rearview mirror, in a car they can hold you up for ages, till in desperation you may take a foolish risk and run head on into a motorcyclist.
I live in a semi rural part of Shropshire where the 60mph single carriageway national speed limit is widespread (and sometimes, illogically applied to roads it's not safe to do a consistent 30 on) but these idiots insist on bumbling along, brain in neutral, well below the limit, a rolling roadblock against anyone trying to "make progress"
My one theory is that most of these are townies, so brainwashed into the idea that they can do no more than 40 (except on rare motorway trips) that they forget there are any higher numbers on the clock (or the statute book)
However, much observation has led me to determine that there are in fact 2 subspecies of this critter. Number 1 observes all lower speed limits scrupulously but tops out at 45mph. this is all well and good and I will never criticize ANYONE for obeying a speed limit, no matter how stupid the limit is, but if they obey all the others, they should obey the 60 too and at least make an effort to get near it! Number 2 is far more dangerous, this is the one who does 40mph EVERYWHERE, regardless of posted speed limits or lack of them. He (or she) is mostly completely oblivious of what is going on in front, behind, or around them and does this speed because that is where they can comfortably nod off and let "George" do the work! A menace to all road users, THESE people are the ones I would like to see banned more than any other!

Sorry, you pushed my buttons mate! Rant over, Steve
I don't have any problems with drls after all my daily driver is a Volvo. I don't however like them when added to cars that didn't originally have them and look stupid, just use the sidelights if you want to be seen and fit leds.

I don't want to push any more buttons, we all get impatient at times following slow drivers but isn't that as big an issue. Not all drivers have high skills, some are new and still learning, others haven't got loads of confidence and isn't it better that they drive within their capacity safely. How many have died because they thought they were good drivers or have killed an innocent. I had police advanced training and like to press on but only where its safe.

Bikers in Yorkshire scare me at weekends especially on the road between the Lakes and Bradford/Leeds. It's busy, carries trucks, caravans, farm vehicles, and a fair few classics and bikers are a nightmare. They are usually in a group and playing follow my leader, first one does a dodgy overtake and cuts in, followers cross double lines, over take on blind corners or brows and the last one finds himself head on with an artic. They cut cars up on islands and its 80% of the bikers doing it. Every journey I do on that road leaves you needing clean undies at the end of it. I have been hit by a biker being stupid in this way. Four bikes in convoy came round a blind corner with a cattlegrid on it. First two sped round on my side just missing me, the third didn't, the fourth just missed me and his mate. Their excuse was we were straightening out the corner because of the cattlegrid. I said no you were traveling too fast for the road and conditions and not being observant enough. What made it worse they were all police officer's.

Question, if you came up behind me driving my Dolomite 1300 at 50 would you be as upset?


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 2:06 pm 
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Question, if you came up behind me driving my Dolomite 1300 at 50 would you be as upset?
If I was in my Morris I'd just be impressed I caught you up :lol:


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:13 pm 
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Question, if you came up behind me driving my Dolomite 1300 at 50 would you be as upset?
If I was in my Morris I'd just be impressed I caught you up :lol:
brilliant :lol:


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:25 pm 
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As all new cars now come with DRL's I've noticed the motorcyclists more as 99% of them seem to drive with no lights on at all during the day. I think some cars have better DRL's than others. My car has them in the headlight so doesn't dazzle too much and looks quite nice. Others, mostly Renaults look rubbish, like a bolt on accessory.

If I were fitting them to a classic car then I'd use the existing sidelights. On My Mazda for example I haven't fitted any but I have swapped the bulbs out for some LED's which are bright and are more noticeable, I simply switch them on and off as required. Alternatively you can buy Halogen headlight units with a pilot light, use this as your DRL, keeps it looking very original and does look neat. I have got this type of unit on the Mazda but the pop up headlights are a real pain and really impede the view so I wouldn't want to use them like that.
I was thinking of using the pilot whole in the Halogen headlight to wire up DRL'S,better to be noticed when on the M25 :D :D :D and keep out of the way of left hand drive lorrys

Dave


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:45 pm 
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Question, if you came up behind me driving my Dolomite 1300 at 50 would you be as upset?
No, I regard 50mph as a reasonable minimum in a 60 limit, i'd probably be happy to trundle in your wake for a few miles at least, till a sensible opportunity arose, then give you a flash of the lights and a cheery wave as I went by. Plus I would give due consideration to the car and it's capabilities. However if you were doing 42mph in a 60 limit in a 740i BMW and still braking for open bends that can be safely taken at thoroughly illegal speeds, that would be a bit different! I'm not naturally impatient and have got even better at it as I get older but this sort of dawdling has an adverse effect on my boredom threshold. I don't expect all drivers to be Stirling Moss but a reasonable degree of skill and alertness is not too much to ask, or is it? As far as i'm concerned, if you can't, for whatever reason, maintain a sensible and legal pace, you shouldn't be driving at all! When I'm driving, most especially if I am pressing on a bit, i'm not doing anything else, I don't talk or even listen to the stereo (what stereo?) It's probably why I am still alive!
Every week I take a 50 mile round trip to Wolverhampton and back in an ancient high mileage Zafira diesel on mostly NSL A and B roads. It's not my car and the owner can't afford to replace it, so I baby it along, sticking to speed limits and seldom exceeding 3000rpm and STILL find myself the fastest car on the route. I don't know about you, maybe you have the patience of a saint, but I find this rather frustrating.
I'm well aware of the reputation some Yorkshire roads have for attracting the sort of bikers who are out to win their Darwin award as quickly as possible and you have my sympathy for having to deal with them. I always thought that police bike story was an urban legend!

Steve

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 11:08 am 
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No the police bike thing happened and a friend of mine, who recently retired from being a local fast responder driver, said it was on one of their favourite training routes as it was mainly single track or just a little wider, very fast 1 mile straight stretch up to the bend from the direction they came from and then very steep hills with challenging bends. Great road in fact. Happened just coming up to two years ago.

I have to agree with you on cars you expect to be moving and just potter along, usually they have older drivers. I'm an OAP now but drive to the speed and road, condition limits, but I hope I have the grace to know when to call it a day and realise it could be difficult when you enjoy driving and it has been a major part of your life. My pet hate is those that do 55/60 in a straight line making it difficult to pass in a low powered car, and then take any bend they come to at a snails pace. They do try my patience. Regularly or most times when driving the Dolly I'm not the one at the front of the queue and when I am its treated with respect generally. But in my MGZT-T which is modified and pretty quick, when sticking to lower limits or being held up 60% of cars tailgate especially VWs and Audi's. Then get surprised as it leaves them in its dust, they are expecting an a typical Rover 75 driver and want to bully it out of their way. I know I shouldn't but they stop tailgating.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 6:25 pm 
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I know we are going quite OT now, but hey, we're in the public bar after all!

Apart from nodding furiously to Carledo posts thinking that I could have written them myself almost word for word, what is it with tailgating now? I'm worrying that I'm sounding like my dad (bless his soul), but aggressive tailgating used to be a world inhabited by the rep in a hurry who wanted you to shift up a gear, or for them to shift past you, not now it seems. I spend a lot of the time on the A1198 and other dead straight roads (welcome to the East of England), and see people tailgating all of the time on a dead straight for miles road with no oncoming traffic. I might have mentioned this but awhile ago on the A1 in the Sprint I was overtaking a line of cars and there was suddenly a huge Range Rover tailgating me. I know it was a Range Rover because as I glanced in the rear-view mirror all I could see was "R A N G E R O V E R" and a bit of grill, so as I clear the slower cars, and pull back into lane 1, they don't go sailing past, they're right behind me! Maybe Sprint's are magnetic and attract Range Rover's, which is unlikely considering the considerable animosity between the two marques when forced together after Leyland bought Rover 50 years ago...

Yours,

Mr V. Meldrew.

_________________
Current fleet: '75 Sprint, '73 1850, Daihatsu Fourtrak, Honda CG125, Yamaha Fazer 600, Shetland 570 (yes it's a boat!)

Past fleet: Triumph 2000, Lancia Beta Coupe, BL Mini Clubman, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 & MK2, Renault 18 D, Rover 216 GSI, Honda Accord (most expensive car purchase, hated, made out of magnetic metal as only car I've ever been crashed into...4 times), BMW 318, Golf GTi MK3 16v x 3


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 9:42 pm 
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What is it with older drivers driving really slow? I am only 3 years from my govt pensionable age and the older I get, the more I realise that I DON'T have all the time in the world! Certainly not time to waste dawdling down to the garden centre! Driving consistently to, or near the limits (speed, road, weather, car, personal, whatever) keeps your brain sharp and your reactions fast and may even combat senility and help you live longer. (At least that's my excuse and i'm sticking to it!)

We have certainly wandered far from our muttons here but hey, there's only so much to say about DRLs and it's mostly been said already!

Steve

On tailgating, our benevolent government has now seen fit to attach fines and licence points to offences of tailgating (mainly on motorways) so I guess they have noticed the upsurge in such antisocial behaviour recently too. I too favour the "leave them in your dust" method for dealing with them, but not until I have carefully inspected the occupants in the rear view mirror for signs of unmarked Police presence!

_________________
'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:10 pm 
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What is it with older drivers driving really slow?
Funny! I would like to think that I drive at a suitable speed for the local roads. Usually just over 50 on the country roads around here, to allow a bit of a chance when the pheasants and roe deer decide to shoot across the road in front of me. On Monday I picked up my daughter from school and took her to her babysitting job. We were early and there was no one else on the road, so I drove at 20mph to kill time. It was amazing how much I noticed at the side of the road that I haven't notice before in 15 years of living here!! I may start driving at 20mph all the time now!!!

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